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Choose Life plates ruled unconstitutional

Judge finds NC ‚ÄėChoose Life‚Äô plates unconstitutional

RALEIGH, N.C. ‚Äď A federal judge has ruled it is unconstitutional for North Carolina to issue pro-life license plates unless the state offers similar plates supporting abortion rights.

U.S. District Court Judge James C. Fox ruled on Friday that North Carolina cannot produce or distribute the ‚ÄúChoose Life‚ÄĚ plate.

Judge Fox concluded, ‚ÄúThe State‚Äôs offering of a Choose Life license plate in the absence of a pro-choice plate constitutes viewpoint discrimination in violation of the First Amendment.‚ÄĚ

The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina Legal Foundation had filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina in Sept. 2011 on behalf of North Carolinians seeking a specialty license plate that supports a woman‚Äôs right to reproductive freedom.

‚ÄúThis is a great victory for the free speech rights of all North Carolinians, regardless of their point of view on reproductive freedom,‚ÄĚ said Chris Brook, legal director of the ACLU-NCLF.

Brook said the government cannot create an avenue to express one side of a political issue while denying an equal opportunity to citizens with an opposing view.

Judge Fox granted a preliminary injunction in Nov. 2011 that temporarily blocked production of the ‚ÄúChoose Life‚ÄĚ plate; that injunction is now permanent.

During the 2011 legislative session, the North Carolina General Assembly passed House Bill 289, which authorized the issuance of a ‚ÄúChoose Life‚ÄĚ license plate.

However, officials say the legislature repeatedly refused to authorize a plate that supported the countervailing position in favor of reproductive freedom.

Six amendments were proposed in the legislature to authorize an additional new plate that stated either, ‚ÄúTrust Women. Respect Choice,‚ÄĚ or simply ‚ÄúRespect Choice.‚ÄĚ The legislature rejected all six amendments.

In order for this to have even come in front of a judge, someone had to have seen this plate and say to themselves..."Hey, that's not fair. I should able to support abortion if she can support choosing life." I don't understand this world.

Or have had their alternative license plate rejected by the legislature, which is exactly what happened six times.

The ruling is correct.

Quoting jehosoba84:

In order for this to have even come in front of a judge, someone had to have seen this plate and say to themselves..."Hey, that's not fair. I should able to support abortion if she can support choosing life." I don't understand this world.

Or have had their alternative license plate rejected by the legislature, which is exactly what happened six times.

The ruling is correct.

Quoting jehosoba84:

In order for this to have even come in front of a judge, someone had to have seen this plate and say to themselves..."Hey, that's not fair. I should able to support abortion if she can support choosing life." I don't understand this world.

I didn't say it was incorrect. Fair is fair. I said I do not understand.

I don't either, it amazes the busy-bodies feel they have the right to decide someone elses reproductive choices.

Quoting jehosoba84:

In order for this to have even come in front of a judge, someone had to have seen this plate and say to themselves..."Hey, that's not fair. I should able to support abortion if she can support choosing life." I don't understand this world.

May I ask what you don't understand about it? (please don't take that as me being snarky)

Quoting jehosoba84:

Quoting gdiamante:

Or have had their alternative license plate rejected by the legislature, which is exactly what happened six times.

The ruling is correct.

Quoting jehosoba84:

In order for this to have even come in front of a judge, someone had to have seen this plate and say to themselves..."Hey, that's not fair. I should able to support abortion if she can support choosing life." I don't understand this world.

I didn't say it was incorrect. Fair is fair. I said I do not understand.

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